Pledge Your Support for the NEA ESP Bill of Rights

Education Support Professionals (ESPs) are critical to the success of our nation’s public schools. Now more than ever, education leaders and policymakers must commit to investing in ESPs, respecting their professional expertise, and recognizing their vital contributions to student learning and well-being.

• Fair Compensation 
  
  One job should be enough! ESPs should not have to work multiple jobs to maintain financial independence.  
  
    
• Recognition and Respect 
  
  ESPs play a vital role on the education team and in students' lives inside and outside the classroom. They keep our schools running and our students safe, healthy, and ready to learn every day. They deserve to be respected and recognized as accomplished professionals.   
  
    
• Safe and Healthy Work Environment 
  
  ESPs deserve a safe and healthy workplace that is free of violence, including physical, verbal, and emotional abuse, and free of exposure to hazardous materials. ESPs deserve clear safety protocols, appropriate supplies, safely maintained equipment, training on workplace regulations, and whistleblower protections.   
  
    
• Affordable Healthcare 
  
  ESPs should have access to affordable health insurance. 
  
   
• Paid Leave 
  
  ESPs deserve paid leave, including personal days, sick days, parental/caregiver leave, and Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) benefits. 
  
   
• Professional Learning and Career Advancement 
  
  ESPs deserve high-quality, job-related professional learning and accessible opportunities for career advancement. Seniority rights must be protected when ESPs pursue promotions and request transfers, and at times of layoffs or furlough. 
  
    
• Workload and Staffing 
  
  ESPs have the right to a workload that allows them to excel in their assigned positions. ESPs deserve a voice in establishing fully staffed shifts, clear work protocols, and resources that support their careers.  
  
   
• Retirement 
  
  ESPs have the right to a secure retirement. All their years of service should count toward a pension.  
  
   
• Protection from Privatization 
  
  ESPs should be free of the threats of privatization that risk the stability of school communities, silence the voice of employees, and further undermine the value of the services they provide in their jobs. 
  
   
• Right to Bargain 
  
  ESPs deserve a strong voice in their workplace that includes the right to join their union and advocate for the rights and protections they deserve. Bargaining and advocacy ensure they enhance student learning and improve educator working conditions–benefiting students, schools, and the community as a whole.